On September 29, 2026, the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, took part in the opening of the exhibition "In Search of the Lost. Return", prepared on the basis of materials from the personal collection of the Belarusian historian and researcher, laureate of the prize "For Spiritual Revival" Vladimir Likhodedov. The exhibition opened in the Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus in Minsk.
As a result of Vladimir Likhodedov's long-term cooperation with Svetlana Khoruzhik, head of the Photographic research sector at the National Historical Museum of Belarus, several thousand artifacts that are part of the historical and cultural heritage of Belarus have been identified, studied and returned. The research was carried out during the implementation of the project "Batskayshchyna. In search of the lost" together with the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The exhibition at the Academy of Sciences presents a unique collection of historical and cultural values lost during the Great Patriotic War and other periods, returned to Belarus. One of the central exhibits is a 1939 banner.
In his welcoming speech, Metropolitan Veniamin noted that the work of collectors is important for society, the people, and future generations. Many historical shrines have been lost, and collecting collections and then distributing them to monasteries, temples or museums gives them a second life.
"It is very important that both the residents of Belarus and the guests could get to know more closely how the country lived in one period or another. Moreover, the story, confirmed by facts and museum exhibits, affects the inner strings of the human soul more strongly. There is awe: "This is how it was 300-500 years ago, this is how our previous generations lived." We have something to strive for, and I hope that the work of Vladimir Alekseevich, who shares his collection and shows generosity and love for the Fatherland, will give a signal to other collectors to introduce wider use of objects that are important and valuable to us," said Vladyka Veniamin.
The Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus has also received more than 200 printed publications with stamps from libraries in Western Belarus until 1939. Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences Vladimir Karanik stressed that the exhibits found by historians, collectors and scientists tell about the hard times and tragedies of the Belarusian people, reveal previously unknown pages of their life and struggle for independence, give additional reasons to be proud of their ancestors, to be worthy of them and to pass on their memory to the next generations.
The exhibition will be available at the Institute of History. It features an incisor engraving on zinc of the XV-XVI centuries (A. Durer's identification mark), a medal for the capture of Polotsk by Stefan Batory in 1579, documents of a property and hereditary nature of the end of the XVI —beginning of the XVII century, plans of Belarusian cities approved in 1778 and 1817, paintings of the XVIII — beginning of the XX century, two paintings by F. Ruschitsa, lithographs and engravings of the XVIII — early XX century, graphic series In. Vereshchagin's "1812", graphic series by Faber du Faure, objects of religious worship, jewelry, printed editions of the XVII — early XX century, "Ironic song about the campaign against the Polovtsians of the appanage Prince of Novogorod-Seversk Igor Svyatoslavich" 1800 (one of the first printed editions of "Words about Igor's regiment"), "Psalter with the ascension" in 1811, Przydatek do Chronologii (third volume) by Abbot I. Stebelsky in 1783.
The exhibits are planned to be transferred not only to the National Academy of Sciences and the National Museum of Belarus, but also to the National Library of Belarus, the Minsk Theological Academy and the Kuteinsky Monastery of the Vitebsk Diocese, the Center for Military and Patriotic Education of the MITSO International University, as well as to implement projects of the Grodno Regional Executive Committee "Old Town" and "Partisan Camp".